Gen. James Hecker stressed there has been no decision from the Biden administration as to whether the Niger military’s July 26 coup requires evacuation.
“In 2020, the Sahel saw a 44-percent increase in violent events in the region,” said Col. Daniel Kobs, commander of the 409th Air Expeditionary Group. “The threat is real."
The coalition is hoping to stabilize areas liberated from the Islamic State, repatriate and hold foreign fighters accountable and combat extremist messaging.